Fethullah Gulen: The real conquest is not the winning of territory but the atmosphere of peace

Fethullah Gulen, the prominent Muslim cleric, has urged people of all faiths to come together to address global conflict at the first-ever US Muslim-Catholic Dialogue Conference in San Diego, CA, which seeks to promote interfaith dialogue and mutual respect worldwide.  

Gulen was not able to attend the US Muslim-Catholic Dialogue Conference due to his poor health. His speech was read by Zeki Saritoprak, professor of Islamic studies at John Carroll University.

Below is full text of Fethullah Gulen’s message:

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Dear Dr. Anthony Cirelli,

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi,

Dr. Sayyid Syeed,

Dr. Khurshid Khan,

Dr. Moustafa al-Qazwini,

Most Rev. Robert McElroy,

Most Rev. Donald Hanchon,

Most Rev. Barry Knestout,

I thank you for your kind invitation to make the opening remarks for the American Muslim-Catholic Dialogue Conference held at the national level for the first time this year.

That exceptional leaders from the American Muslim and Catholic communities have formed such a dialogue venue is very meaningful for the advancement of peace and tranquility in our age. I congratulate every one who has contributed to this initiative.

My health condition unfortunately doesn’t allow me to be with you in person.

However, I would like for you all to know that this invitation is very meaningful and valuable to me.

Although it may seem that the series of unfortunate events humanity has endured in recent years validate those who predicted dark scenarios in the so-called clash of civilizations framework, I have personally always been hopeful for the future of humanity.

In the shared perspective expressed in the Holy Quran and the sources of divine religions grounded in revelation, humans by nature seek the good and the beautiful.

I thoroughly believe that humankind will be attracted to the atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect, and will embrace each other. Hope is an expression of trust in God’s grace. Desperation, on the other hand, is the primary obstacle before any progress and leaves individuals crippled, unable to tap into their potential.

The Earth has never been free of those who propagate fear, hate, and enmity for various motives. Today, unfortunately, we observe examples of these individuals and groups in both the East and the West. However, undeniably, humans are tired of wars, violent conflicts, bloodshed, atrocities, and they are thirsty for universal dialogue and peace. Our globalizing world presents a historically unprecedented ground for developing affinity, integration, and mutual acceptance.

Although hostilities and conflicts in history have essentially been driven by a clash of worldly interests, sometimes nationality, class, and religion have been used as means in order to rally the masses to a certain side. In reality however, the fundamental vision of all religions that have been embraced by a significant segment of humanity, in particular, religions based on revelation, are societies whose individuals attain internal tranquility, and a world of universal peace that such societies constitute.

In the Holy Quran, eeman (faith) and amal-i-saalih (righteous deeds) are always mentioned in tandem. Amal-i Salih is the name of deeds accepted by Allah. Sulh (peace) and salih (righteous) are two words from the same root; Salih means that which leads to Sulh (or peace), and is guided by the pursuit of peace. Therefore, Islam, a religion of unity, demands his adherents to be on the path to universal peace and tranquility.

It is clear that in an atmosphere of conflict, peace cannot be served by simply opposing and reacting to the agendas of others. In this regard, at a time where core values of human civilization are cherished at least as a vision, humans, who are civilized by nature of their creation, can solve their issues only through communication facilitated by dialogue venues.

The vast majority of the world’s population adheres to Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. In the 21st century, therefore, it is an inevitable conclusion that the universal peace will depend on the dialogue among the adherents of these religions and traditions. I have stated that initiatives for dialogue are long overdue on the occasion of our meeting with his Excellency the late Pope John Paul II in 1998.

14 centuries ago, the Holy Quran called for dialogue among Muslims, Jews, and Christians, the latter two it referred to as Ahl-Al Kitaab, or people of the book. However, in the intervening centuries periods of conflict outnumbered periods of peace due to the conditions of those times. Now, however, the following centuries should be defined by mutual respect, love, and coalescence.

By the use of the term “people of the book” the Quran is addressing not only Jews and Christians but also all individuals in contemporary society pursuing knowledge and enlightenment through reading and writing. As Bediuzzaman Said Nursi pointed out, it can be said that the people of learning and enlightenment are also invited to dialogue.

Again, the Holy Quran refers to the Hudaybiya peace treaty signed by the Muslims of Medina with the polytheist Meccans as a “conquest” as opposed to the surrender of Mecca two years later. The real conquest is not the winning of territory but the atmosphere of peace when weapons are set aside and people enter a period of peaceful co-existence and dialogue. With the Hudaybiya peace treaty, the doors to fighting were closed, and the doors to hearts were opened, and the grounds were laid for the breaking of false prejudices.

When the ideas that the Prophet Muhammad, may God’s peace and blessings be upon him, expressed in the treaty of Medina and in his farewell sermon are evaluated within their historic socio-political context, the type of civilization Islam enjoins for its adherents becomes clearer. We regard the idea of upholding the dignity of every human being, and accepting them in their respective positions as the pillars of this civilization.

The initiatives for dialogue among adherents of all world religious, especially between Muslims and Christians, taken with this consciousness are steps towards a common human civilization where peace and tranquility will reign.

If humanity’s adventure so far is any measure, it would be unrealistic to expect all conflicts on the Earth to cease anytime soon. However, it is also not wishful thinking to expect that relations among various communities around the world will become more humane, driven by access to information, the reliance on reason and the increased first-hand knowledge of each other facilitated by dialogue in our increasingly shrinking world. At the least, it is possible to localize problems and to impede their spread. The issue facing us is what we will do intentionally out of a feeling of responsibility in this context.

The ground of dialogue that you established in order for adherents of different religions to better understand each other is the reflection of the attitude of lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness. However, this activity that you have persistently continued for 20 years is symbolically much beyond a candle and instead is praiseworthy as a lighthouse and beacon of hope.

Destruction is easy whereas construction and repair are difficult. At times, in the face of burning fires of war, atrocities, stirring of hostilities, and conflicts around the world, those working to serve peace through means such as dialogue may feel defeated and fall into pessimism. Amidst the waves of grave hostilities and conflicts humans face or partake in, one might question what our efforts may signify.

However, it should not be forgotten that there is a special value in setting a good example. Humans, who are naturally disposed to beauty, will sooner or later will take interest in these good examples, and eventually embrace them. One day they will say, “up until now we tried fighting and war, now let us give a chance to dialogue and mutual acceptance.”

There are many precedents in the history of humanity where small groups influence much larger groups with the help of the centrifugal force that they generate. In this regard, the steps taken in particular by widely respected leaders of religious thought, like your selves, are crucial.

Ever since humans have existed, the struggle between compassion, love and hope on the one hand, and fear, hate, and despair on the other has continued. Just as the essence of the messages of Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, upon whom all be God’s peace and blessings, are compassion, love, and hope, their life stories are also embodiments of those essences. Our world today is in equal, and maybe even greater, need for this message.

I congratulate again those who organized and participated in this conference as a collaboration of Muslims and Christians who are representatives of this message today and share their belief in the importance of dialogue.

I pray God the All-Compassionate to deliver humanity to those days where peace and tranquility reign in all continents of the Earth and human beings warmly embrace each other. And I ask God to accept this conference as an active prayer toward the same end.

Sincerely,

Fethullah Gulen

Fethullah Gulen's Op-ed in Le Monde: Muslims, we have to critically review our understanding of Islam

 Words fall short to truly express my deep sadness and revolt in the face of the carnage perpetrated by terrorist groups such as the so-called ISIS. I share a profound frustration with a billion and a half Muslims around the world at the fact that such groups commit terror while dressing up their perverted ideologies as religion. We Muslims have a special responsibility to not only join hands with fellow human beings to save our world from the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, but also to help repair the tarnished image of our faith.

It is easy to proclaim a certain identity in the abstract with words and symbols. The sincerity of such claims, however, can only be measured by comparing our actions with core values of our self-proclaimed identities. The true test for belief is not slogans or dressing up in a certain way; the true test of our beliefs is in living up to core principles shared by all major world faiths such as upholding the sanctity of life and respecting the dignity of all humans.

We must categorically condemn the ideology that terrorists propagate and instead promote a pluralistic mindset with clarity and confidence. After all, before our ethnic, national or religious identity comes our common humanity, which suffers a setback each time a barbaric act is committed. French citizens who lost their lives in Paris, Shiite Muslim Lebanese citizens who lost their lives in Beirut a day earlier and scores of Sunni Muslims in Iraq who lost their lives in the hands of the same terrorists are first and foremost human beings. Our civilization will not progress until we treat the suffering of humans regardless of their religious or ethnic identity as equally tragic in our empathy and respond with the same determination.

Muslims must also reject and avoid conspiracy theories, which have so far only helped us avoid facing our social problems. Instead, we must tackle the real questions: do our communities provide recruitment ground for groups with totalitarian mindsets due to unrecognized authoritarianism within ourselves, domestic physical abuse, neglect of youth, lack of balanced education? Did our failure to establish basic human rights and freedoms, supremacy of the rule of law, and pluralist mindsets in our communities lead those who are struggling to seek alternative paths?

The recent tragedy in Paris is yet another reminder for both theologians and ordinary Muslims to strongly reject and condemn barbaric acts perpetrated in the name of our religion. However, at this juncture, rejection and condemnation are not enough; terrorist recruitment within Muslim communities must be fought and countered by an effective collaboration of state authorities, religious leaders and civil society actors. We must organize community-wide efforts to address all factors that aid terrorist recruitment.

Ways of expressing support and dissent within democratic means

We need to work with our community to set up the necessary framework for identifying at-risk youth, preventing them from seeking self-destructive paths, assisting families with counseling and other support services. We must promote a proactive, positive government engagement so that engaged Muslim citizens can sit at the table where counterterrorism measures are planned and share their ideas. Our youth should be taught ways of expressing support and dissent within democratic means. Incorporation of democratic values into school curricula early on is crucial for inculcating a culture of democracy in young minds.

In the aftermath of such tragedies, historically strong reactions have surfaced. Anti-Muslim and anti-religious sentiment as well as governments’ security-driven treatment of their Muslim citizens would be counter-productive. The Muslim citizens of Europe want to live in peace and tranquility. Despite the negative climate, they should strive to engage more with their local and national governments to help work toward more inclusive policies that better integrate their community into the larger society.

It is also important for us Muslims to critically review our understanding and practice of Islam, in the light of the conditions and requirements of our age and the clarifications provided by our collective historic experiences. This does not mean a rupture from the cumulative Islamic tradition but rather, an intelligent questioning so we can confirm the true teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophetic tradition that our Muslim predecessors attempted to reveal.

We must proactively marginalize de-contextualized reading of our religious sources that have been employed in the service of perverted ideologies. Muslim thinkers and intellectuals should encourage a holistic approach and reconsider jurisprudential verdicts of the Middle Ages that were issued under perpetual conflict where religious affiliation often coincided with political affiliation. Having core beliefs should be distinguished from dogmatism. It is possible, indeed absolutely necessary, to revive the spirit of freedom of thought that gave birth to a renaissance of Islam while staying true to the ethos of the religion. Only in such an atmosphere can Muslims effectively combat incivility and violent extremism.

In the aftermath of the recent events I witness, with chagrin, the revival of the thesis of the clash of civilizations. I do not know whether those who first put out such a hypothesis did so out of vision or desire. What is certain is that today, the revival of this rhetoric simply serves the recruitment efforts of the terrorist networks. I want to state clearly that what we are witnessing is not a clash of civilizations but rather the clash of our common civilization as humanity with barbarity.

Our responsibility as Muslim citizens is to be part of the solution despite our grievances. If we want to defend the life and civil liberties of Muslims around the world, and the peace and tranquility of every human regardless of their faith, we must act now to tackle the violent extremism problem in all its dimensions: political, economic, social and religious. By setting virtuous examples through our lives, by discrediting and marginalizing the extremist interpretations of religious sources, by staying vigilant toward their impact on our youth, and by incorporating democratic values early in education, we can counter violence and terrorism as well as totalitarian ideologies that lead to them.


This article appeared in Le Monde on December 17, 2015.

Original article can be accessed here: http://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2015/12/17/musulmans-procedons-a-un-examen-critique-de-notre-comprehension-de-la-foi_4834205_3232.html

 

Fethullah Gulen Awarded 2015 Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award

Atlanta, April 9, 2015 – Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse Collegeawarded its prestigious 2015Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award to Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen in recognition of his life-long dedication to promoting peace and human rights. The chapel has been giving a community builders prize and a peace award since 2001. Past recipients of these awards include leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Andrew Young and Archbishop Desmund M. Tutu.

In a statement presented today, Mr. Gulen said he was humbled by the honor and accepted this award on behalf of the Hizmet participants from different nations, religions and ethnic backgrounds who have devoted themselves to serving fellow humans. “These educators keep schools open in places like Iraq despite the ISIS threat; they provide education opportunities to girls in Nigeria and Afghanistan; doctors, nurses and humanitarian relief workers serve under dire conditions in places like Somalia and Sudan; entrepreneurs donate to charitable causes despite economic hardship.” He said in his statement: “You were kind enough to recognize their efforts and I simply accept this award on their behalf.” For his full statement, please visit: Fethullah Gulen Statement Accepting the 2015 Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award.

The Gandhi King Ikeda Peace Award was designed to promote the importance of positive social transformation by honoring those who demonstrate extraordinary global leadership toward reconciling differences. Although Mahatma Gandhi was a Hindu from India, Martin Luther King Jr. a Christian from the U.S., and Daisaku Ikeda a Japanese Buddhist, the overwhelming ethical consistency in the global reach of their philosophies and influence serve as an inspiration to all the world’s citizens. The chapel’s dean Dr. Lawrence Carter said that the chapel will recognize Gulen alongside photos of Gandhi, King and Ikeda in the chapel, as a Muslim representative of the same spirit. For details on the award, please visit: http://www.morehouse.edu/mlkchapel/our-work/college-of-ministers-laity/.

Fethullah Gulen is an Islamic scholar, preacher and social advocate, whose decades-long commitment to education, altruistic community service, and interfaith harmony has inspired millions in Turkey and around the world. Described as one of the world’s most important Muslim figures, Gulen has dedicated his life to interfaith and intercultural dialogue, community service and providing access to quality education.

Alliance for Shared Values is a non-profit that serves as a voice for dialogue organizations affiliated with Hizmet in the U.S. (also known as Gulen movement). The Alliance serves as a central source of information on Fethullah Gulen and Hizmet. For more information, please visit www.afsv.org.

VIDEOS: The Hizmet Movement and Peacebuilding: Global Cases

More than 20 countries represented by scholars - watch the videos of Symposium on:

Hizmet Movement and Peacebuilding : Global Cases

held at the National Press Club in Washington DC on October 24-26 2013.

MEDIA Rumi Forum bestows peace and dialogue awards

The 2011 Rumi Peace and Dialogue Awards held at the National Press Club, Washington DC were held last night, below is a media item about the event.

More info about the event on our website:
http://www.rumiforum.org/media-releases/rumi-peace-and-dialogue-awards2011.html

Rumi Forum bestows peace and dialogue awards
The Rumi Forum, an international organization promoting interfaith dialogue and peace, presented awards celebrating peace and dialogue initiatives at their annual Peace and Dialogue Awards ceremony in Washington on Tuesday.

The prestigious awards were presented to South African activist and retired Anglican bishop Desmond Tutu, Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Director Joshua DuBois, leading American public radio talk show host Diane Rehm, George Mason University President Alan Merten and John Bryson Chane, the eighth bishop of Washington in the Episcopal Church.

Dubois, an advisor to US President Barack Obama, said he was greatly honored to receive the Extraordinary Commitment to Service Award while praising the Rumi Forum for being at the forefront in advancing interfaith cooperation and understanding in the United States and around the globe since 1999.

“We look forward to working with the Rumi Forum to advance intercultural understanding in our government, in our country and around the world motivated by the president's belief, as he stated in his inaugural address, that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and non-believers; we are shaped by every culture and language,” DuBois said.

Tutu's daughter Naomi accepted the Extraordinary Commitment to Dialogue and Reconciliation Award on behalf of her father, which she said her father accepted as a great honor. In a speech, she said: “It is a great honor, and when I spoke with my father about the award, one of the things that we talked about was some of the poetry of Rumi, and one line in particular, ‘Move outside the tangle of fear thinking,' which he [Archbishop Tutu] believes has been what has led him in his life to recognize the common humanity of all. When we can move beyond fear thinking and see in one another brothers and sisters who share fears, hopes and dreams, our move for a peaceful and just world will come about.

”The Forum's Extraordinary Commitment to Peace Through Media Award went to Rehm, who spoke about the politicization of the US Congress in her speech. “I wished every single member of congress were sitting in this room to see that grand film and to hear the comments of Archbishop Tutu's daughter,” she said.

Chane, the recipient of the Extraordinary Commitment to Peace Award, was unable to join the ceremony as he was abroad, but sent in a video message instead. He said it was a great honor for him to receive this award, and praised the efforts of the Rumi Forum to seek a “common ground” among people.

The recipient of the Extraordinary Commitment to Education Award was Merten, who offered his thanks to the forum for presenting him with the award. Merten said his university has students from more than 140 countries, a fact that he says he feels most proud of.
SOURCE: http://www.todayszaman.com/news-261025-rumi-forum-bestows-peace-and-dialogue-awards.html

Rumi Forum'un ödülleri sahiplerini buldu

ABD'de faaliyetlerini sürdüren düşünce kuruluşu Rumi Forum'un geleneksel ''Barış ve Diyalog Ödülleri'', Washington'daki Ulusal Basın Kulübü'nde düzenlenen törenle sahiplerini buldu.

Beyaz Saray bünyesindeki Komşuluk ve Din Temelli Ortaklıklar Ofisi Direktörü ve ABD Başkanı Barack Obama'nın özel asistanı Joshua DuBois, ''Kamu Hizmetine Olağanüstü Bağlılık'' ödülüne layık görüldü.

DuBois, törende yaptığı konuşmada, Rumi Forum tarafından böyle bir ödüle layık görülmekten büyük onur duyduğunu belirterek, Rumi Forum'un, hem ABD'de hem de dünya genelinde dinlerarası işbirliği ve anlayışın geliştirilmesinde ön saflarda yer aldığını söyledi.

Obama'nın, farklı dinlere mensup insanlar arasında iş birliğine çok büyük önem verdiğini ve bu iş birliğinin artırılmasına kendisini adadığını vurgulayan DuBois, şu anki ABD yönetimi olarak da dünya genelindeki dini liderlerle yeni bir diyalog çağını başlattıklarını belirtti.

ABD'nin her dinden, kültürden ve dilden insanları bünyesinde barındırdığını ifade eden DuBois, ülkedeki dini çeşitliliklerin zafiyet değil, bir güç olduğunu gerçekten anlayan bir yönetim anlayışına sahip olduklarını kaydetti.


DuBois, ABD'de ve dünyada kültürlerarası anlayışı ilerletme yolunda Rumi Forum ile birlikte çalışmayı arzuladıklarını sözlerine ekledi.


''Diyalog ve Uzlaşıya Olağanüstü Bağlılık'' ödülüne de, Güney Afrikalı Nobel Barış Ödülü sahibi başpiskopos Desmond Tutu değer görüldü. Törende Tutu'nun ödülünü, kızı Naomi Tutu teslim aldı.


Tutu, babasının bu ödüle layık görülmesinin kendileri için büyük bir onur olduğunu belirtti.


Washington'daki George Mason Üniversitesi'nin Rektörü Dr.Alan Merten'e de, ''Eğitim Hizmetine Olağanüstü Bağlılık'' ödülü verildi.


Merten, yaptığı konuşmada, ödülden dolayı Rumi Forum'a teşekkür ederken, George Mason Üniversitesi'nde 140'dan fazla ülkeden öğrencinin eğitim gördüğünü ve bunun üniversitenin en fazla gurur duyduğu husus olduğunu söyledi.


''Medya Üzerinden Barışa Olağanüstü Bağlılık'' ödülü de, ABD'de en çok sevilen radyo programları arasında yer alan ''The Diane Rehm Show''un sunucusu Diane Rehm'e verildi.


Rehm, konuşmasında, başkalarının görüşlerine kulak vermenin önemini vurgulayarak, bu sabahki programında yaşadığı bir olaydan bahsetti. Programına, ''Amerika'nın çok fazla farklı sesi bağrına basarak intihar ettiğini savunan'' aşırı sağ eğilimli yorumcu ve siyasetçi Pat Buchanan'ı konuk ettiğini hatırlatan Rehm, ''Orada kendimi zor tutarak oturduğum halde, söylemeyi tercih ettiği şeyi söylemesine imkan vermeye çalıştım'' dedi.


Washington Piskoposu John Bryson Chane de, ''Barışa Olağanüstü Bağlılık'' ödülüne layık görüldü. Yurt dışında olması nedeniyle törene katılamayan Chane,
videodan yayınlanan konuşmasında, böylesine önemli bir ödülün kendisine takdim edilmesinden duyduğu mutlululuğu dile getirerek, Rumi Forum'un ''ortak zemin'' arayışında önemli bir ses olduğunu ve Rumi Forum ile birlikte çalışma fırsatına erişmekten onur duyduğunu kaydetti.


Ödüllerin takdiminin ardından, Rumi Forum Başkanı Emre Çelik ve ödül sahipleri birlikte fotoğraf çektirdi.

AA

SOURCE: http://www.aksam.com.tr/rumi-forumun-odulleri-sahiplerini-buldu--75439h.html

OTTOMAN EXHIBITION - The Art of Living Together RECEPTION June 6, 2011

RUMI FORUM Presents Historic Ottoman Exhibition The Art of Living Together

Rumi Forum Maryland Peace and Dialogue Awards

Rumi Forum Presented Awards to Celebrate Education and Peace Initiatives by Maryland Officials at Annual Peace and Dialog Awards Ceremony.

Fethullah Gülen: An Islamic sign of hope for an inclusive Europe by Paul Weller

As Europe heads deeper into economic recession, political crises and loss of social equilibrium, an increasingly diverse continent faces potentially serious challenges to cohesion, justice and equity.

The Europe of history, rather than of ideology, has always been a context for religious and cultural diversity, with a longstanding and substantial presence of Jews and Muslims, as well as Christians. But there have also always been ideological attempts to deny and/or destroy that diversity. This began when pre-Christian pagan traditions were replaced with Christianity --often (though not always) by means of force. It continued when the flowering of Christian, Jewish and Muslim culture in the Iberian Peninsula was rolled back by the advance of a militant Catholicism that could not countenance the peaceful coexistence in a single geographical space of the three “Peoples of the Book.” Within living memory there was industrialized genocide and the attempted liquidation of the Jews in Europe under the aegis of Nazi Germany and its collaborators, while in the 20th century there were the attempts at “ethnic cleansing” of Muslims in the Balkans. Finally, among those claiming to act in the name of Islam against the actions (Afghanistan and Iraq) and inactions (Palestine) of “the West,” there have been the bombings in Madrid (2004) and in London (2005). Living with diversity Against this background, and bearing in mind that social crises can all too easily follow from economic and political ones, it is critically important for the Europe of the coming decades to find a way to live at ease with its diversity. In particular, this means overcoming the worrying developments of Islamophobic scapegoating that can be observed in some countries and that will end only in suffering for Muslim minorities and a cultural impoverishment for all. Muslims form the largest religious minority in Europe. A substantial proportion of these are of Turkish ethnic background, and Turkey is a majority Muslim state that is in a “special relationship” with the European Union. Because of these factors, and in the context outlined above, an important sign of hope for the future of an inclusive Europe comes from the teaching of the Turkish Muslim scholar Fethullah Gulen, who is currently resident in the US, as well as from the civil society initiatives found across Europe that have been inspired by his teaching. Akbar Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at the American University in Washington, D.C., and former Pakistani high commissioner in the UK, identified Gülen as a key “role model” for contemporary Muslims. In Ahmed’s book “Journey Into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization” (Brookings Institution Press, Washington, D.C., 2007), which was written on the basis of anthropological fieldwork and questionnaire results, Gülen is identified as one of the most influential Turkish Islamic figures of his generation. Gülen’s influence among Muslims comes first and foremost from the fact that his teaching is thoroughly Islamic, being rooted in a deep and profound engagement with classical Islamic scholarship. He is therefore not a “reformist” in any sense that might make traditionalist Muslims suspicious that he is selling out the distinctiveness of Islam. Knowledge in a contemporary context While “traditional,” Gülen is himself not “traditionalist.” For example, in his native Turkey he recommended the building of more schools before the building of any more mosques. In doing so he was taking the traditional Islamic theme of the importance of knowledge, or ilm, and translating it into the contemporary context, resulting in over a thousand schools being founded throughout the world by those inspired by his teaching. As well as being properly traditional, Gülen’s teaching is also informed by a Sufi Muslim heritage that, while rooted in the distinctiveness of Islam, is ready to identify goodness wherever it is found. This is the approach of the 13th century Muslim mystic Jalal al-Din Rumi, reflected in his famous saying that “one of my feet is in the center and the other is in 72 realms [i.e. in the realm of all nations] like a compass.” Of this, in his important book “Towards a Global Civilization of Love and Tolerance” (The Light, 2004), Gülen said of Rumi that “he drew a broad circle that encompassed all believers.” Thus many of the organizations inspired by Gülen’s teaching are committed to the promotion of dialogue with Christians, Jews and people of other religious faiths. As an example of this, it should be noted that the Gülen-inspired popular magazine called The Fountain has opened its pages to Christian authors to, among other things, provide an exposition of key texts in the Christian scriptures. This openness towards providing a platform for voices from other religions within a magazine that is primarily read by faithful Muslims is indicative also of an even wider spirit of inclusivity that stretches to embrace not only those of other religious faiths, but also those of no faith. For example, the Dialogue Society in London, which is inspired by Gülen’s teaching, has more atheist and agnostic members of its Advisory Board than it has Muslims. Importantly, Gülen’s Islamic teaching and practice was developed in the forge of Turkey’s 20th century project to create a secular state, as initiated by the Turkish nationalist revolution of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. That project became an ideologically “secularist” one, locked in symbiotic conflict with an “Islamist” reaction. So, arising from that context, Gülen has criticized a politics rooted in a philosophically reductionist materialism. But he has also argued that Islam and democracy are compatible and he encourages greater democracy within Turkey. He also argues that a secular approach that is not anti-religious and allows for freedom of religion and belief is compatible with Islam. While especially within Turkey there are those who argue that the movement inspired by Gülen’s teaching harbors secretive aims to take over the state and to impose Islamic rule, Gülen himself has criticized the instrumentalization of Islam for political ends. In this, he insists Islam does not need an Islamic state to flourish and that the politicization of Islam will only damage the state, society and also Islam itself. Gülen has been robust and unequivocal in his condemnation of terror attacks conducted in the name of Islam. But his commitment to dialogue is not reactive to these. Rather, it is based upon the deep wells of authentic Islamic tradition rooted in the Quran and teaching and example of the Prophet Muhammad. Precisely because of this, Gülen’s teaching and the initiatives inspired by it offer a robust challenge to the terrorist appropriation of Islam. In the words of the title of a publication by the Dialogue Society in London, they offer the possibility of “Deradicalisation by Default: The ‘Dialogue’ Approach to Rooting out Violent Extremism” (Dialogue Society, London, 2009). Striving for peace and the common good In his teaching and his writing, Gülen emphasizes the importance of a shared humanity in striving for peace and the common good. He argues that we are human beings first of all, and only then Muslims, Christians, secularists or others. While to some this may seem unexceptional, it is important to understand that Gülen articulates this from an Islamic perspective. Of course, the process of translating ideals into the kind of choices that need to be made in the context of ambiguities of history is a challenging one, fraught with dangers and difficulties, and is one in which outcomes cannot at the moment be known. But how these initiatives continue to develop is likely to be of considerable importance for the future of Islam, the future of Europe and the potential geopolitical role of Turkey as a bridge between historic civilizational zones. Among the practical examples that could be cited are the Journalist and Writers’ Foundation, the Intercultural Dialogue Platform and the Dialogue Eurasia Platform -- each of which have brought people of religious and secular perspectives into dialogue together around matters of common concern. Thus Gülen and the initiatives inspired by his teaching challenge the tendency found among some Muslims groups to separatist withdrawal from the wider non-Muslim society. By contrast, they offer a basis for Muslim engagement with the wider society based upon a confident and richly textured Islamic vision. That vision also draws upon the historical wealth of a multicultural civilizational history to argue that neither Turkey nor the European Union have anything to fear, but have much to gain, from a future of full Turkish membership in the EU. In the meantime, Fethullah Gülen’s teaching and the initiatives inspired by it offer an important Islamic sign of hope for an inclusive Europe. *Paul Weller is professor of inter-religious relations at the University of Derby in the UK, and, along with İhsan Yılmaz, the editor of the forthcoming (January, 2012) book “European Muslims, Civility and Public Life: Perspectives on and From the Gülen Movement.” http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=157777&SearchType=Basic

ACADEMIC - Indonesian 'Fethullah Gulen conference' papers go online

The conference papers recently published from the Fethullah Gulen conference in Indonesia have gone online. These studies reflect the research that is necessary to better understand this global social and civic movement and its inspiring Fethullah Gulen

1	Hisako Nakamura, " An Observation on the Gülen-Inspired Informal Education among Newly Converted Japanese Muslims"
2	Prof. Dr. Mitsuo Nakamura, "Rationality and Enlightenment: A Comparison of Educational Reforms Promoted by Gülen Movement and Muhammadiyah"
3	Dr. Ali Ünsal, "Gülen’s Perspective on Education: Foundations of His Ideas and Actions"
4	Dr. Margaret A. Johnson, "Glocalization of the Gülen Education Model: An Analysis of the Gülen-Inspired Schools in Indonesia"
5	Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman, "Gülen’s Educational Philosophy: Striving for the Golden Generation of Muslims"
6	Dr. Salih Yücel, "Spiritual Role Models in Gülen’s Educational Philosophy"
7	Dr. Qamar Agha, "Fethullah Gülen’s Ideas on the Relationship between Science and Religion"
8	Dr. Zeki Saritoprak, "How Do Gülen’s Educational efforts contribute to Global Peace"
9	Dr. Suchart Setthamalinee, "The Role of Education in Raising New Generations: A Case study of Chinese Muslim in Northern Thailand"
10	Dr. Muhammed Çetin, "The Contribution of Islamic Scholarship to Democracy"
11	Prof. Dr.Maniruzzaman, "Gülen’s Idea of Education for Peace"
12	Prof. Dr.Leonid R.Sykiainen, "Purposes of Education in the Light of Fethullah Gülen’s Teachings"
13	David Tittensor, "An Alternative Pilgrimage: Teachers Doing Hizmet Abroad"
14	Prof. Dr. Choi Woo-Won, "Transformation of Philosophy and New Education for the Global Age"
15	Mahsheed Ansari, "The concept of mani ism (meaning by name) and mani harf (meaning by letter) as a comprehensive theoretical tool for educational philosophy and method and the importance and impact of the Risale i Nur in Fethullah Gulen’s educational out"
16	Prof. Dr. Ismail Albayrak, "Main characteristics of the Gulen movement and the importance of education in globalising world'"
17	Dr. Masayuki Akutsu, "Social Revitalization through Promotion of Education : Socio-Historical Analysis of Islamic Education and Muslim Society in Pre-Modern Islamic World"
18	Prof. Dr. Gumilar R. Somantri, "Keynote speech for the International Conference on Fethullah Güllen at UI"
19	Prof. Dr. Adama Diop, "Fetullah Gülen's Idea on the Relationship Between Science and Religion"
20	Fr. Thomas Michel, "The Thinking Behind the Gülen-Inspired Schools"
21	Prof. Dr. M. Amin Abdullah, "Fethullah Gülen and Character Education in Indonesia"
22	Çemen Polat, "The Functions of Gülen-Inspired Educational Initiatives As Business Enterprises in the Philanthropic Fashion"
23	Ahmet Orhan Polat, "The Key Factors Behind the Success of Gülen-Inspired Schools"

ORIGINAL WEB SITE :
http://www.fethullahgulenchair.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=75:conference-papers&Itemid=255&layout=default&lang=en

OTHER CONFERENCES:
http://rumiforum.blogspot.com/2010/09/rumi-forum-suggested-links-has-been.html